A Mystery Deep Below Part 6

“Come. We must examine the body.” Lar held out her hand for me. I grasped it lightly, not really wanting to approach the dead youngling. “Stand here and observe.” Lar pushed me to one side of the table and walked over to the other.



She delicately pulled back the sheet. I did my best not to react to seeing that poor youngling laying there unmoving. If you didn’t know any better, you would assume she was sleeping. There were no marks upon her body at all. She lay there with her eyes closed but paler than normal skin.



I watched as Lar-Naneth pulled out the pouch she retrieved from her hut. She withdrew a smaller pouch from within. Lar poured a fine silver powder into one palm, then blew it across the body. The powder began to swirl through the air just above the youngling. It went from her tiny toes, along her legs, up to her chin and then her small head. If the granules were alive, I would have sworn they were confused. They performed several more trips back and forth. Finally, they spun like a water funnel just over her mouth. Another flourish of Lar’s hand had the dust zipping back into the smaller pouch.



“Hmmmmm. Interesting.” Lar-Naneth scratched her chin.



“What is it, Lar-Naneth?” I came around the table and stood beside her.



“I need to make sure, first before speaking of it.”



She pulled out a crystal hanging from some twine. Stepping closer, Lar let is dangle over the youngling’s mouth. The crystal began to swing in a circle. It picked up speed, almost yanking out of her hand. Without warning, the crystal yanked hard towards the ceiling and stayed that way. Lar gentled, tugged it down, and placed it back inside the larger pouch. “Yes. Just as I thought.”



“Oh, come on, Lar! Tell us what you thought.” I was beside myself with curiosity.



Lar looked between me and Madame. “Her soul was stolen.”



My jaw dropped. “Say what? Her soul? Is that even possible?”



“Yes, child. It is. Do we not live on the back of a creature and talk through our minds to him? What makes you think this is not possible?” Lar stared hard at me, causing me to drop my gaze.



“Yes, Lar-Naneth. I am sorry. Please continue.” I kept my eyes lowered in respect.



Lar began to pace. “Whatever did this is not of our kind. Something came in from the waters and took her soul. If it remains and we find it in time, we may yet be able to save this youngling.” She took one finger and lifted my head, making sure we had eye contact. “We have much to do, Limmeg.” Lar then looked to Madame, “Do not speak of this to anyone. We do not want word of it to reach whatever did this. We need to let it know that we are still unsure of what happened.”



Madame bowed slightly. “Yes, Lar-Naneth.” When she looked at us again, there were tears in her eyes. “Please, hurry. Bring her back to us.”



Lar stood tall. “Oh, I will. Be sure of that.”



We strode out of the building, making sure not to speak so no one could hear. Our silence continued until we were safely inside Lar’s hut and in the kitchen. Both of us sat down at the table.



I waited for her to speak, but she didn’t seem inclined to do so. I broke the quiet. “What is our next step, Lar-Naneth.”



She gazed towards where her living room was for a moment, then turned to me. “Next? We hunt a killer.”